Havana relies on 200 urban farms known as organoponicos The vegetable gardeners of Havana By Sarah Murch BBC Two’s Future of Food August 2009 Climate change, drought, population growth - they could all threaten future food supplies. But global agriculture, with its dependence on fuel and fertilisers is also highly vulnerable to an oil shortage, as Cuba found out 20 years ago. Around Cuba’s capital Havana, it is quite remarkable how often you see a neatly tended plot of land right in the heart of … [Read more...]
King Corn (2007)
King Corn (2007)King Corn is a feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. In King Corn, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, best friends from college on the east coast, move to the heartland to learn where their food comes from. With the help of friendly neighbors, genetically modified seeds, and powerful herbicides, they plant and grow a bumper crop of America's most-productive, most-subsidized grain on one acre of Iowa soil. But … [Read more...]
Permaculture Principles
As part of the Sustainable Land Use course I recently completed we had to do a short piece of work on Permaculture Principles. I put together this little list of principles compiled from the following books (and website)... [asa]0731812719[/asa] Attitudinal Principles Work with nature not against it - results in minimum negative impact on long term sustainablilty Value Edges and Marginal and Small - small and different can be vital See solutions inherent in problems - overcomes blockages … [Read more...]
A Farm for the Future
This documentary from the BBC is one of the most impressive things I've seen on TV for a long time. Highly recommended. Wildlife film maker Rebecca Hosking investigates how to transform her family's farm in Devon into a low energy farm for the future, and discovers that nature holds the key. With her father close to retirement, Rebecca returns to her family's wildlife-friendly farm in Devon, to become the next generation to farm the land. But last year's high fuel prices were a wake-up call … [Read more...]
Curtis 50 Cent Jackson Community Garden Opening Celebration
(Photo by Joe Corrigan/Getty Images North America) On November 3, 2008, 50 Cent, along with New York Restoration Project founder Bette Midler, had the honor of celebrating the opening of the The Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Community Garden in Queens on 117-19 165th Street. A native of Jamaica, Queens, 50 Cent and his G-Unity Foundation joined forces with NYRP to bring landscape architect Walter Hood’s designs to life in his old neighborhood as part of his personal mission to give back to the … [Read more...]
Room to Grow: Participatory Landscapes and Urban Agriculture at New York University
By Adam Brock September, 2008 A research paper I (Adam Brock) wrote under supervision from NYU professor Natalie Jeremijenko in Summer 2008. The conclusion? It’s not lack of land that’s preventing us from growing food on campus - it’s the politics of centrally-controlled space. Abstract Urban Agriculture presents a promising means of addressing at least three critical issues facing cities: food security, ecological health, and community development. As an urban research university with an … [Read more...]
Seva Cafe – Ahmedabad,India
YouTube - Seva Cafe - Ahmedabad,India Nice little video about an organic cafe in India where you pay what you like. "This video is made by students of NID - Ahmedabad,India. To know more about Seva Cafe Visit us as : www.sevacafe.org or mail me at whiznitesh@gmail.com.....My name is Nitesh Jain, Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India :) Love all, Serve all :) Living is Giving :) Guest is God :) ADDRESS : Seva Cafe 4th Floor, Shppers Plaza, Opp. Muncipal Market, C G Road, Ahmedabad Ph: +91 79 32954140" … [Read more...]
GOOD: Oil Addiction
YouTube - GOOD: Oil Addiction. If we're addicted to oil, our twelve-step program should begin with admitting that we have a problem. As the price of oil creeps higher, finding new energy sources is more important than ever. But the search for alternatives, combined with environmental disruptions, is putting new pressures on other essentials like food. There are some things that are going well in the world. Right now, the economy is not one of them. https://www.goodmagazine.com/ Animation … [Read more...]
GuerrillaGardening.org News
Via GuerrillaGardening.org Dear Troops It has been a month involving the police, a death, new guerrilla cells, poppy planting at the Ministry of Defence, bulb planting in the hundreds and lots of very smelly envelope stuffing. POLICE It’s been a while since the police took an interest in our gardening (usually they’re more concerned about the suspect car bomb I drive around in). Two jittery officers jumped up onto the traffic island with us in response to reports we were stealing plants. I … [Read more...]
What A Way To Go: Life At The End Of Empire
I just watched this. As it says at the beginning it is very dense, but overall I think it is really rather good. For more info about the movie visit the website Peak Moment 72: "What a Way to Go" - Meet the Filmmakers … [Read more...]